‘I don’t really feel snug to journey to the USA’: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova cites COVID-19 considerations as purpose for US Open opt-out

High-ranked Russian participant Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has introduced that she won’t participate within the US Open later this month in New York, admitting that considerations over the continuing COVID-19 pandemic have influenced her choice.

The US Open is scheduled to start in late August and run till September 12 regardless of COVID-19 instances persevering with to surge within the nation previous the grim determine of 160,000 deaths – with host metropolis New York beforehand being one of many worst affected areas within the nation – convincing the 29-year-old to hitch the likes of Rafael Nadal and ladies’s world primary Ash Barty in withdrawing from the event. 

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“I’ve been considering lots and determined to not play (the) U.S. Open this yr,” Pavlyuchenkova stated Wednesday.

“It wasn’t simple as a result of I hadn’t missed any Grand Slam in my whole profession. Tennis is nearly all the pieces for me.”

Pavlyuchenkova’s identify is added to a rising exodus of sportspeople of quite a few disciplines asserting that they’re to limit their athletic actions till a time when they’re extra satisfied that their well being won’t be in danger. 

A number of gamers throughout the NFL, for instance, have forgone hundreds of thousands of of their annual wage by opting to sit down out of the upcoming season. The resumption of the Main League Baseball season has additionally been beset by numerous constructive coronavirus assessments – with the game’s governing physique opting to not proceed with the ‘quarantine bubble’ strategy undertaken within the NBA, to call one. 

And as Pavlyuchenkova defined additional, it’s the lack of a concerted plan being in place to ensure her and her fellow gamers’ security that led to her choice. 

“The primary purpose is insecurity, (the) US Open doesn’t present any ensures. I don’t really feel snug to journey to USA in such circumstances,” she stated. 

“From this second, each participant is on his personal. My group and I’ve determined it might be for the very best to not take part.”

The world’s primary ranked males’s participant, Novak Djokovic, would be the headline act within the male class (significantly so given Nadal’s absence). The Serb got here underneath hearth earlier this yr for his controversial Adria Tour occasion through which a number of gamers – together with Djokovic himself – contracted the doubtless lethal virus. 

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